Schools Similar to Vandy

bernie12
Sun, 17 Jul 2011 20:59:30 +0000

It seems like, now-a-days, other than the admit rate, one has no idea of their chances for admission to a top school. Emory does not have a full BME program of it’s so I guess it’s out. If you want that here, you must do it in the 3-2 program between Tech and Emory, and that’s kind of tough. A chem. major is more likely to complete all those requirements w/in 3 years. Fortunately, I know well, about 4 people that have done so successfully and only 1 was a chem. major. Weird enough, there is a kid that Transferred from BU BME to do this joint-program. He claimed he wanted a “more rounded” experience (I wonder if it’s true. Maybe BU was simply going to kick his you know what for all 4 years as a pre-med BME major while, as a pre-med here, he’ll have it a little easier as a normal bio major, but it really isn’t that easy). He doesn’t seem to regret it: [March 1 | Emory Website](Error 404 | Emory University | Atlanta GA) .
Needless to say, Georgia Tech has an excellent BME program. Despite what Faline said, I think could get away with doing less well (though they must at least do good, 3.1-3.2. Weird enough, there a 3.35+ will put you around or higher than the top quarter of the class as most gpas hover between that 3.0-3.2 region) at Tech and still end up w/great post-graduate prospects as most know that they have tougher grading standards than many institutions (though the work probably isn’t particular harder content wise than perhaps a place like Vandy for example). They also have an amazing co-op program that greatly enhances this. But w/that said, one should probably just start off at Tech. I personally think that one doing engineering should jump right into even though Mr. Patel seems to have a different opinion. I’ll agree to disagree as going hard on this opinion would expose a belief that I think my 4 friends in the 3-2 program are nuts.

Anyway Duke, Hopkins, and WashU, are most similar to Vandy academic wise (as in structure and programs offered. Whereas I think Duke and Vandy are a bit more similar atmospherically/socially). Needless to say, all 4 are extremely hard to get into (whereas, we, Emory, are just hard). I would look into schools like Carnegie Mellon and Case Western (these aren’t best safeties in terms of admission,especially Mellon, but they are sure better one than say Emory, USC, UVa, Berkeley, UNC,or UCLA. On top of that, Both have awesome for engineering of all sorts that seem less likely to admit even though they have similar or lower stats. than Mellon) for example.

Also, I think Duke is about as hard or harder than most Ivies to gain admission to regardless of the admit rate. It gets folks w/higher stats. than some of the Ivies w/lower admit rates (which moreso reflects the amount of applicants they get. The same could be said for places like Hopkins, Chicago, and maybe NU). I would venture to say the same about Vandy as well. It may be as hard or a little harder than those Ivies directly around it. And Emory shouldn’t be mentioned in the same sentence as those two in context of admissions, while our admissions seems random and sketch at times, one actually does have a much higher chance of getting in here than any Ivy (maybe other than Cornell, but they edge us out still) or Vandy, Rice and Duke. Regardless of this comparison, I would avoid applying to anything in the top 25 (maybe even 30. Perhaps do so if you are also in the 75% of some top 20 schools, and then go forth and be wary of yield protection practices) as a safety. It just simply isn’t a good idea. These schools are either getting significantly more apps, are reducing the number they admit, or doing like us, and keeping a decent admit rate but doing a “flavor of the month” admissions scheme (another poster in some thread described our admissions this way. I couldn’t agree more).